Charles Leclerc Shakes Hometown Track Curse With a Win in Monaco
Ferrari Claimed P1 and P3, While Oscar Piastri from McLaren Landed P2
A Home Race Win Is Always Sweet
In F1 news, Monaco native and Ferrari driver, Charles Leclerc, finally captured a win at arguably the most prestigious F1 race of the season, the Monaco Grand Prix.
Living the Dream
If it was not for bad luck, Charles Leclerc would have no luck at the Monte Carlo circuit after several disappointing finishes between his F2 and F1 appearances. However, this year he captured the pole position as he has before but stubbornly refused to relinquish the top spot throughout the race with a few restarts in between due to accidents.
The win he always wanted ❤️#F1 #MonacoGP @Charles_Leclerc pic.twitter.com/GFKqxKnhKC
— Formula 1 (@F1) May 26, 2024
Charles Leclerc has secured pole position at Monaco in both 2021 and 2022 but a crash at qualifying in ‘21 resulted in the car not starting before the race while a Ferrari strategy blunder had Leclerc dropping from the pole position to fourth place. Last year a grid penalty coupled with a lethargic pace had him finishing in sixth place.
But the 2024 iteration of the Monaco Grand Prix would fulfill a childhood dream that saw the 26-year-old native of the principality tear up as victory was within reach. He had watched the race from his apartment window as a boy and desperately wanted someday to be part of the pomp and pageantry of one of auto racing’s most esteemed events.
“F— Charles, you cannot do that now. You still have two laps to finish,” said Leclerc.
Nope, it wasn’t a dream 🏆 ❤️#MonacoGP 🇲🇨 #F1 pic.twitter.com/9xI5CTJMpp
— Scuderia Ferrari HP (@ScuderiaFerrari) May 27, 2024
Reverse the Curse
A Monte Carlo native has not won at Monaco since Louis Chiron accomplished the feat in 1931. Although Leclerc has had several bites at the apple, he always came up short and F1 rumors were beginning to swirl that there was a curse hanging over LeClerc’s head at his native track. But the man himself tends to differ.
“I never believed in the curse,” Leclerc said after the race. “However, it always felt very difficult on the two occasions I had to win here. As a driver, you never really know when will be the next opportunity to win, especially when it’s your home race — and even more so when your home race is Monaco, that is such a special track, such a difficult track and weekend to master and do everything perfectly.
“I knew that today was another opportunity. I knew how it felt the last two times I was in this position.”
L̶a̶n̶d̶o̶ ̶N̶o̶W̶i̶n̶s̶
M̶o̶n̶a̶c̶o̶ ̶C̶u̶r̶s̶e̶— Formula 1 (@F1) May 27, 2024
But not everyone was ecstatic at the result as points-leader Max Verstappen said over the radio what many have grumbled about in the past regarding the Monaco course, “F— me, this is really boring! I should have brought my pillow.”
Verstappen finished sixth in the race with now only 31 points separating him from his nearest challenger in the championship standings. And in what is more evidence of Monaco being more of a procession than a race, the top 10 drivers finished in the same position as where they started.
Nevertheless, for Charles Leclerc, the memory will last a lifetime and his achievement will live on in Formula 1 history.
